Taylor Swift said so long to London (single tear) last year after her relationship with Joe Alwyn came to an end after six years. However, Miss Americana is finally heading back to the UK this summer with the European leg of her epic Eras Tour.
With shows lined up in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff, London and Dublin this summer, a lot of UK Swifties will finally get the chance to witness the spectacular Eras Tour for themselves.
For most Swifties, the Eras Tour is something akin to a religious experience. For long-time fans, it is a chance for us to relive each and every one of Swift's musical eras — and, by extension, revisit our younger selves. It's all very profound and meaningful, actually!
We've been loving Taylor for quite some time, time, time.
But let's face it — no matter how much you may adore Tay Tay, this is a very, very long show. And unless you literally refrain from drinking any water all day (please stay hydrated, people) you'll probably need to take a break at some point during the show. Well, we've got you covered.
There may be no such thing as a bad Taylor Swift song — but I believe that some are worse than others. And the statistics back me up. According to Spotify, there are certain tracks that are just — well — a little more skippable than others. And so, we bring you: the most-skipped tracks on the Eras Tour setlist. Plan your loo breaks accordingly…
“You Need to Calm Down”, Lover
Similar to Lover's cringe-worthy first single, “ME!”, “You Need to Calm Down” is a little too corny, a little too juvenile for many fans. With its marching band feel and its laboured chorus, it's simply not one of her strongest tracks. However, it is the fourth track in the tour, so it's unlikely you'll need a break at this point. However, I stand by the fact that this is one bop that is missable.
"Fearless”, Fearless
It pains me to report that, according to Spotify data, “Fearless” is the least streamed song on the entire Eras Tour set list. So, if you absolutely have to skip a Fearless era song, the title track is, statistically, the most skippable. But please don't skip “Fearless”. It's old-school, country queen Taylor Swift at her best. She plays her guitar and spins around in a gold tasseled dress and it will take you straight back to your teen years. This track is the sixth in the tour and the first in her “Fearless” set.
It’s not just about the colour.
“Marjorie”, Evermore
Once again, I hate to “recommend” anyone skip this track. An ode to her late grandmother, the song is nuanced, heartfelt, beautiful and, usually, a highly emotional moment of the show. However, once again, Spotify data suggests that people… don't love listening to it — it is the second most-skipped track on the setlist. This song comes tenth in the setlist right after “willow”.
Fans have long been comparing the star to the poet, and now we have the missing link.
“Nothing New”, Red
“Nothing New” is, without a doubt, the dullest track from Swift's Red era. Compared to certified bops like “22”, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble”, it's something of a snoozefest. Just make sure you get back in time for the spiritual journey that is “All Too Well (the 10-Minute Version)”.
“My Tears Ricochet”, Folklore
This is another slower track that a little more forgettable than the rest of her gorgeous, lyrical numbers from her Folklore album. However, if you are in the mood to be deeply depressed (and look, a lot of Swifties love nothing more than a deeply upsetting track), this one is not to be missed. This song comes right after “illicit affairs” and right before “cardigan” — so get back to your seat in time!
“Shake It Off”, 1989
Ok, this may be controversial, but I think “Shake It Off” (yes, the number one single from 1989) is very missable. We've all heard it a million times. It's a little bland. It's a little goofy. It's a little, dare I say it, boring. Yes, it's fun to do a little shake-y dance with all the Swifties, but honestly, we've been there, done that in enough bars and karaoke rooms. This track falls immediately after “Blank Space”.
Some fans think he got two songs — others think he got more.
“So High School”, The Tortured Poets Department
With 21M listens on Spotify, “So High School” is the 12th most skipped track on Swift's new album (and the most skipped track from the album that appears in her tour set list). A thinly veiled ditty inspired by her relationship with Travis Kelce, “So High School” is… I'll say it… not her best work. Personally, I wouldn't mind not hearing such cringe-worthy lines as “Truth, dare, spin bottles
/ You know how to ball, I know Aristotle,” or “Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto”.
“Vigilante Shit”, Midnights
A sultry revenge track, “Vigilante Shit” is kind of fun. But is it unmissable? I would argue not really. We get plenty of sexy, vengeful Taylor in her Reputation era, right? And while we all love saying “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man,” the rest of this breathy, moody song is all a bit same-y and, ultimately, little bit blah. Skip.
